Social Inequalities and How Art Has Been Used as a Means of Addressing Them - Coursework Example

Social Inequalities Despite efforts made through social policies and provisions by law in curbing the vice, social and economic inequality continues to thrive in every corner of the world. Disparities in the distribution of resources in society and wealth among its members have social implications. It is these implications that eventually result in social inequalities. These inequalities affect the quality of life for members of the society. Every society known to man has been subjected to different forms if inequalities. As a result, privileged individuals tend to enjoy a disproportionate share of power, prestige, social status and other valuable resources amongst their peers. Long term social inequalities lead to stratification of the society, a situation that is made worse by the emergence of institutions targeting various social classes. Provision of goods and services such as health, education, public service and even day to day necessities by various facilities has been on the forefront of enhancing social inequalities. This paper looks at various forms of social inequalities and how art has been used as a means of addressing them. Discussion Amenities such as access to treatment and a quality education are slowly becoming “a rich man’s affair.” These means have created different forms of social inequalities that deepen the divide between the under-privileged and the well of in our communities (David, 2003). The fact that some of these amenities are essential for one to break from the cycle of poverty and eventually cross the bridge of inefficiency yet can barely be accessed by majority of the population is catastrophic. Most communities insist that resources are distributed amongst the members by merit, however, studies reveal this to be untrue, and the distribution is biased. Segregation and alienation are witnessed in almost all social aspects of life. The alienation is on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity and status in the society. Status in the society can be accorded through two means, ascribed characteristics and achieved characteristics (Warwick, 2013). The former is a combination of traits bestowed upon an individual at even before whereas the later are earned or chosen. Ascribed traits include gender, parentage and social status of parents. On the other hand, achieved characteristics are such as education, marital status and other measures of merit trusted upon an individual by others. Leadership level is one of the best examples of achieved characteristics in individuals. It is used as a perfect example due to the lengthy process followed to achieve certain levels of leadership (Whitehead, 2007). Art and culture is described as the means through which society explains its experiences and journeys. It is also a form of shaping identity and formulating the future. Art and culture provide a rich platform for people to explore their individuality and also view the society as a whole. Art is a reflection of ourselves, a means by which messages are written, transferred and preserved for others to access. Art and culture projects civil society, enriches liberty and enhances human dignity. A means by which differences can be understood and dealt with through existing solutions or by stretching imagination and creativity (Lareau, 2008). It is, therefore, not unusual that the art is been used as a major platform in addressing social inequalities in society. Bases of inequality in race, gender and class are addressed by various forms art such as music, paintings, photography, film and carvings. Types of social inequalities mostly addressed in the arts are gender inequalities, educational, health and socioeconomic stratification. Gender-based discrimination is a topic that needs to be addressed with a lot of urgency and seriousness. Academic, governmental and international organizations need should device methods to help solve this problem. Culture is mostly to blame for this form of discrimination and addressing it requires intense lifestyle change campaigns as well as legislative support to ensure compliance. Women globally have been under-represented in many fields. Institutionalized barriers that deny women access to facilities such as education and the right 0f free will need to be eliminated. Artists have emphasized the importance of women in society and even refer to them as pillars of the community. For this reason, limiting their social and economic development impacts negatively on the entire society. Racial and ethnic inequality is a result of hereditary characteristics that include skin color, place of origin and native language spoken by individuals (Scott et al, 2010). There has been no scientific proof has been brought forward to support superiority in characteristics such as intelligence and physical abilities. However, race and ethnicity has been institutionalized and is often used as an enabling or restricting factor in an individual’s social status. Often, one is likely to experience diminishing opportunities at employment, enlistment, acceptance to academic institutions and even access to services (Moller et al, 2009). Although art does not address this sector in depth, it played a major role in history as progress was forged. During the slave trade era, dark skinned natives were prejudiced and treated as less deserving members of the society. They were loathed by whites and were subdued, taken as slaves and treated like material possessions of the elite whites. As change swept across parts of the world, art played an important role in the process. Music was used to pass messages during the discrimination of blacks’ period and also during the apartheid period. Paintings were also used to portray the suffering and torment that was experienced by the victims of these primitive ideologies. Provision of health determinants and health status create the niche for health inequalities. In countries where healthcare is highly privatized, economic capital of the individual determines the quality of health care they can access. Countries that rely heavily on the government for the provision of healthcare tend to have easier access to healthcare for its citizens (Leonard, 2000). Although this move does not completely solve the problem of inequalities in health, it does help a great deal in reducing it. Art and culture have provide a platform for messages addressing this menace to be passed. Mainly through music and photography and documented educational films, information is made available on the effects of inaccessible healthcare due to social inequalities. Young children are the largest beneficiaries of these efforts through immunization and proper nutrition programs. Most governments have taken up the responsibility of immunizing infants and offering advice on proper nutrition for young children. Prior to this, many children would miss out on important vaccines because of the socioeconomic status of the parents. Education is one of the areas where social inequality has continued to thrive. Disadvantages members of the society are unable to access a good education or provide one for their children. As a result, most of them do not develop necessary skills required to succeed in modern economies. Those who make it to school have their performance affected by social domains. Children brought up in poor socioeconomic backgrounds are subjected to stress from various factors that inhibit cognitive development (Leonard, 2000). Various forms of art have been used to address these factors. Music against violence and crime, abuse of children and other vices have has played a tremendous role in shining light on deserving issues. Other forms of art to address this are paintings, photography and film. Art and culture cannot be separated from the social factors that influence the well-being of the community. In expressing various aspects of society, art is involved in informing and transforming aspects of our lives. Art acts as a constant reminder of what our society is, what is expected of us and what we can do to improve it. As various forms of art evolve, the message of transforming our society keeps evolving with it. More perspective is brought out and touching on core values of everyday life its importance cannot be ignored. Apart from being used as a platform to pass the message on social and other issues addressing the community, art can also be used as a source of income. In this light, one would be killing two birds with one stone as economic empowerment is the key to unlocking the chains of social inequalities. References Beeghley, Leonard. (2000). The structure of social stratification in the United States. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Campbell, Mary E. (2009). Multiracial Groups and Educational Inequality: A Rainbow or a Divide? Social Problems 56(3):425-446 David B. Grusky (2003). The Past, Present, and Future of Social Inequality. Held, David and Kaya, Ayse (2007) Global Inequality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lareau, Annette and Dalton Conley (2008). Social class: how does it work? New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Margaret Whitehead (2007). Concepts and principles for tackling social inequities in health. WHO Collaborating Centre for Policy Research on Social Determinants of Health. Moller, Stephanie, Arthur S. Alderson, and Francois Nielsen. (2009). Changing Patterns of Income Inequality in U.S. Counties, 1970-2000. American Journal of Sociology 114(4):1037-1101 Scott, Jacqueline, and Rosemary Crompton, and Clare Lyonette (2010). Gender inequalities in the 21st century: new barriers and continuing constraints. Cheltenham, England: Edward Elgar. Warwick Louise Booth. (2013). Social Inequality. Read More